Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and OFDMA wireless communication systems under IEEE 802.16 use a network of base stations to communicate with wireless devices (i.e., mobile stations) registered for services in the systems based on the orthogonality of frequencies of multiple subcarriers and can be implemented to achieve a number of technical advantages for wideband wireless communications, such as resistance to multipath fading and interference. Each base station (BS) emits and receives radio frequency (RF) signals that convey data to and from the mobile stations. Typically, a mobile station (MS) only communicates with one base station (e.g., the serving base station) at a time. This BS allocates bandwidth to the MS based on the base station's own scheduling algorithm, and the MS is restricted from using bandwidth from other base stations.